Cable-carrier apparatus.



F. R. TAISEY.

CABLE CARRIER APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1914.'

15157,].93. Patented Oct. 19, 1.915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

F. R. TAISEY.

CABLE CARRIER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1914.

1,157,193. Patented 001. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ZOI/nesses: hWen/on COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0" WASHINGTON. Dv c.

paratus.

(Terran ATES PATENT @FFEQE,

FRED a. 'rAIsEY, o EoWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, AssienoE TO THE LAMSON COMPANY, or osron, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION on NEW JERSEY.

CABLE-CARRIER APPARATUS.

To all zohom itmag concern: Y 7

Be itknown that 1, FRED R. .T'arsny, a citizen .of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county .of MiddleseX and.

State ofv Massachusetts have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ca-; ble-Garrier Apparatus, of which the follows ing is a specification.

The present invention relates. to cable carrier systems and is an improvement 1n the apparatus: described in my pending -application serial Number 779,449, filed July 17, 1913, entitled cable carrier system.

I I have aimed in thehereinfldescribed'construction to accomplish all or substantially all that'lhave been able to accomplish by the improved drop-station apparatus disclosed in my saidpending application;

while at the same time overcomlng certain objectionable features present insaid ap- It' has been found highly desirable, wherever practicable,.in cable carrier'systems and particularly inwhat is known as high-line apparatus, to so dispose the trackstthat the carriers,of the. type common in use today,"

and which carriers are particularly described in the patent to-George A. Amsden Number 960,617, dated June 7, 1910,. wil

travel flatwise in contradi'stincti'on to edge wise, or in other words, withthe coyer ofthe carrierwheniin its closedposition, in a horithe receiving ior forwarding ,gtraclqi the zontal plane- In my said previous construe- 'tionthe carriers when passing a'way or. drop-w station traveled upon their s des or edges along the track which receives from said staitionS, buteven in the "construction therein" shown, the carriers traversing the npper a-aek, which delivers to said stationwere disposed flatwise; the two rails of the upper track being in a commonihorizontal planet In the present apparatus, howeven'both of. the main tracks convey carriers flatwise;

andas a :resultthe system operates with greater efficiency and safety, whilethe pearance of the .Specification of Letters Patent.

stations is materially imswitch proper being oscillatable in a horizontal plane. 7

I have also succeeded in mounting for movement in horizontal planes various other elements which constitute important parts of the apparatus, such as the collision preventing trips and stops hereinafter referred to.

These and other objects of my invention will be later discussed and the novel elements and combinations of means whereby said objectsmay be attained will be particularly set forth in the'claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which form a part here of and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views I have exemplified a preferredv 0on struction, but as I am aware of various changes and modifications which may be made herein without departing from the spirit of my invention, I desire to be limited only by the scope of said claims broadly considered'in the light of my disclosure.

-Referring to said drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of an improved drop-station.- Fig. 2 is a partial end elevation of the lower part of the apparatus shown in Fig.1; said apparatus being drawn to a somewhat larger scale herein. Fig. 3 is a similar end view of the upper portion of said apparatus. Fig. a is a top or plan view of the device shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a partial rear elevation of the upper part of said device. Fig. 6' is a section taken on line VI'VI of Fig. 5, drawn to a somewhat larger scale.

The outgoing or forwarding track from the station has been designated land the return track 2 is preferably in parallelism with this forwarding track and directly thereabove the rails of the respective tracks being in horizontal planes. The auxiliary track 3 which delivers carrier 4: up from the station proper to the main forwarding track may have the usual opening 5 in the rails thereofto admit of the insertion f the lugs l of the carrier thereinto' to permit of said carrier being emplacedupon said track;

Carriers to be'del vered from the upper track tothe' station are selectively removed Patented 0015.19, 1915. Application filed. February 24, 1914. Serial No. 820,721.

from said upper track by a switch 6- in a 7 known fashion the said lugs 4t of such carriers emerging from their engagement with the railsof track 2 through theusual opening 7 and said carriers after traversing theswitch, passing down to the station via" the independent drop track 8, the lower extremity of which is looped quite sharply around inan arc-of relatively small radius as at 8. Here the received carriers come to rest and they may be removed either from .the open end 9 of the independent track, at

the right in'Fig. 1,0r through-the usual opening 9 insaid track, to the left of the station as viewed in said figure.

Tracks 3 and-8,.are connected-togetherby suitable brackets 10, which in turn-may be supported by a hanger. rod ll, which ma if desired, depend from the ceiling, or be supportedin any other desired manner. The cable, designated 12, runs parallel to the tracks land 2 and is preferably contin V, nous; the direction of travel thereof being indicated by arrows; Adjacent track-31am ed-upon a stud 15, the reduced extremity! this groove being knurled as'at normally. substantially parallel thereto is a hoisting cord 13,. the upper extremity of which is secured to a small drum let I'n'ount The arm 16 is pivotally mountedu'pon a,

vertical spindle 18 which is journaled vin suitable'extensions or lugs of-one ofithef v brackets19 which support the switch Arm l6 is normally drawn into the position in which it is shown in full linesin Fig. 6 by a spring20,-but is capableoii being swung around clockwise until the drum lit and its non -revoluble'casing l-fl occupy the dotted line positions of these parts, in Fig.- -6'. At such time an upward extension or catch 21, upon the arm 16 will have been :movedinto engagement with a latch 22, which is pivot-v ed at 23 upon abracket 23' carried byone of the r-ails of the track 3. The spindle18 also has fixedly secured thereto "and -rota'- 1 table therewith a switch 24, the inner edge of which is adapted to complete the through track 1 across the gap inthe rail thereof vwhere carriers areideliveredfrom track" 3. The outer side of this switch alsoserves to practically complete the track 3, .when

the switch is in'y-its dotted line position 24L shown in Fig- 6. Atthe point where the outer. rail of track 3V-runs into the corresponding railof track 1, there is an elongated rib like locking cam 25, which may be convenientlysupported from the bracket 26" i adjacent thereto, and this-cam mayalso-i'be iused ,as-a support for-ithe freeend'ofthe switch 24 whenthe latter is inits full line positionshown in Figsd and The'principal function of the locking cam 25,'it may be here stated, is, however, to close the grip of carriers. traversing track 1 past the switch, upon the cable, and also 'to correspondingly close thegrip of carriers being despatched from the station, substantially as they enter-track 1. *To facilitate the ene gagement ofthe grips of such latter carriers 'with the cable, the switch carries upon "its under side a somewhat triangularly shaped lug-27, best shown inFigs. 3 and 6. 'When' the switch is initsopen position 24 a roller 28 which is mounted thereupon is moved into engagementwith the lower limb of the cable, while at the same time lug 27 will.

co-act with this roller'. to position said cable as indicatedby dotted lines 12-, in Fig. 6.,

the triangular extension 27 having idepressed thelcable slightly and permitted it to snap around-[the point at the bottom of.

said? extensionfwh'en the switch was being opened." -A s aresultof this disposition 12" I ofthe' cable, when the ascending carrier is propelled past the switch'inthemanner hereinafter: described, itsfixed OI" SUbStLl1- full line position shown 'inFi-gi 6. Owing to the cable sufiiciently to enable itto clear the v 'encount'er thel-cable-and'pushit toward its the inclinedsurface provided by the inner! i edgeofithe lug 27 this action "will depress:

bottom of the fixed gripping lug 29, whereupon the cable will-snap over said lug and position itself between the pivoted grip ele-q ment 29 and-the fixed jaw,- preparatory to being-engaged by the :carrier grip; The

pivoted jawthen engages the grip closing or looking cam .25 which swings the jaw 29 inwardly a known :manner and thedespatched carrier is then properly in engagementfwith the cable and will be .propelled thereby along track 1' toward the 'cashiers station; v

Through carrierstraversing track 1 past the station shown-do not have their engage-i we r ment with the'sc'ablewdisturbed, and since -switchl2t behaves in efiect as a .shortlrail" across the gap at-thepointi of emergence i from track .3;1said*through carriers will be drawnfquite smoothlyand noiselessly past the station; 7 7

set, is provided so fits to enable the cable 12 to be ipicked up byjthegrips of carriers being despa'tched, in "the j manner "above de:

scribed, but owing to the fact that ;the,-porf It will be observed that thef'tliroughtrack 1. is substai'itially devoid of bends there' be-s ingrin the presentinstance,however; arsli'ght V offset thereimithe ends of: which have r'es'pec v tively beende'signated 30 and 301.. This 1613"- tionflof track :1 intermediate, points 'j30- 30' ,J

the drawing nit-carriers around abrupt 'is practically {straight and qiiitev extended, r the cable :issubjected to noundue stress by T;- 13;;

' cerned, is practically noiseless.

bends, and-as abovestated, theoperation of themechanism in so faras the passage of through carriers pasta-wayj 'station is'coni I shall now consider the preferred: means for propelling carriers up from-the station strip 32 may,.if desired, be looped around as at 32 to form a handle. The pusher 33 rides guidedly between the rails of tracks 3, in much the same fashion as-doesthe carrier, and'has attached thereto, 'preferably'at its lower extremit'yfthe lower or'free end of the hoistingecord 13. As previously stated the upper extremity of this cord-is attached to a drum 14 and when the hook 32Jis engaged by the'fing'er and pushed downwardly, the downward pull upon the cordv 13 swings said drum into its dotted. line position, above referred to, andthe latch '22 becomes operative to'holdi drum in such position.

The pulley 17 will such timebe driven by the lower limb ofthe cab1e 3, clockwise as viewed "in Fig. 6; free lateral movement ofsaid cable by the pressure of said pulley thereagainst beinglresisted upon one side of said pulley by the idler 28 carriedby the switch 24, which will at such time occupy its dotted line'position 'andupon the other side of the pulley 17 by an idler 34.. This insures a proper. driving'engagement between pulley 17 and the cable, which winds the hoisting cord 13 up spool fashion upon drum 14 until the carrier-has been propelled preferably atlea'st part way around the curveiat the upper extremity of track 3, whereupon a lugvor extension 35 carried by the pusher .33 is'brought into engagement with a small bumper or coil spring 36 car-' ried by an arm 37 which is preferably integrally united to the latch 22, so that the latch is moved toward its unlatched or open position against the action of itsspring 37 freeing the lug or tooth 21 and permitting spring 20 to return arm 16, pulley 1.7 ,and'the drum 14: to their, respective normal positions.

The present mechanism, also preferably comprises means for preventing. collision between through carriers traversing track .1 and apart of the apparatus displaced intov the path of said carriers upon the'despatch' of a carrier along track 3; ,my said pending application having also includeda disclosure of means to thls end. In effect the *said previously disclosed means have been modie fied herein to adapt them to the present con- I struction wherein the through carriers traverse track 1 flatwise in manner aforesaid.

Connected-to the arin'16 at 38 is a rod or strip 39 which extends in parallelism with 7 track 1 and has pivotally connected thereto when in its dotted line position 15, shown in Fig. 6, to engage the pivoted grip elements of through carriers to free the cable therefrom, without, howeverystopping such .carri'ersl correspondingly the arm 41 of the inner bellcrank has the extremity 46 thereof hooked or otherwise suitablv shaped to adapt it toengage and swing open the pivoted jaws of a carrier which may have succeeded in passing the cam 45 without being actuated by the latter, in such case as where, for example,-the bar 39 ismoved to the right after a carrier has passed cam 45 but before it can possibly encounter cam or hook 46. This latter is not onlyadapted to open the grip of a carrier which may be moved into engagement therewith, but is furthermore adapted to stop or limit the further progress of saidcarrier, which: cam 45 is preferably not adapted to do. As a result of this arrangement should there be, for example, two or even three carriers on route along track 1 and closely following each other, and when the first of such a group of carriers would collide with the switch, said first carrier would have its grip opened by cam 45 and would come to rest against hook 16; the second would correspondingly, have its grip opened by cam 7 l5 and would come to rest against the first carrier and so on. i Obviously any desired'number of carriers might thus be stored one behind the other to. the rear of hook 46, if rod 39 be sufficiently extended and'cam 4:5 correspondingly spaced from the cam or hook 46. Byreason of the pivotal connection between rod 39 and arm 16, which latter is, as previously stated, rigidly connected to the switch, whenever the switch is open cams 45 and 16 will be in their operative positions, while whenever the switch is in its full line position shown in Fig. 6, said cams will be to one'side' of the path of the grips of through carriers traversing track 1. i

In addition to actuating cams 45 and 46, rod 39 has a further function since it is adapted to swing closed the pivoted jaw of the grip of any carrier which may be above said'rod, when the rod is moved into its full line position in which it is shown in Fig. 6,

which movement is of course simultaneous wlth theempl'acement of movable cams H and 46 in their inoperative positions. Thus,

V positionto clear track 1 but at the same time cams and 46 will be withdrawn from the path ofthe grips of carriers traversing upon said track, and further those carriers which may have been stop'ped by cam &6

will be reenga'ged with the cable 1301311178116 theircourse toward, forexample, the cash ier,s,s'tation. r I

The remaining features of the construction such, for example,'as the bracket &7 for aiding in removing the cablefrom carriers whichare being switched onto the drop track 8, and the guide 48 above said SW1tCl1,--.

are well known in the art. Ialso prefer to provide some means for checking the descent of carriers passing down track 8 and to this end employed the known expedient of normally springing the rails of said track inwardly toward each other by means of springs 49, as indicated in Fig. 2, but Therein makeno claim to such-provision.

The operation of the eXemplifiedappara-I tus is'asfollows C-arriers traversing track 2 will normally pass the .given drop-station unless saidcarriers are intended to be selec- 'tively vremoved from said track. by the switch 6, in which case the so removedcarriers will pass on to the drop track 8 i'na known manner and will fall by gravity un- 'til they come to restin the loop 8, from which they may be removed at either side 7 thereof at the operatives convenience.

Through carriers traversing track 1 will pass the'given drop-station normally with their grips in continued engagement with the cable, but if a carrier is being despatched from the drop-stationwhich would collide with such a-through carrier the movement of switch 2 1 from its normal positionwill have so disposed-cams 45 and 4:6 as to release such a through carrierand hold it upon] track 1 adjacent hook 46. Cam 45 will atv suchtime serve. to disengage any closely suc ceeding carriers to avoid undue wear and tear upon the cable, and all of the so stopped carriers. will be automatically 'reengaged with the cable by the rod 39 simultaneously with the movement of switch 24' back into its normal position. This action ofrod 39 upon the pivoted grip 29 of any carrier which may be above said rod will be 'ap parentupon an inspection of Fig. 2, since in carriers of this descriptiom' will pull it is-evident that pressure upon'said jaw from the right, such as will be exerted thereagainst bv the lateral movement ofrod 39,

will suffice to swing j aw 29" through .its slot toward the fixed or relatively fixed jaw-29 until the engagementof the cable with jaw '29, aided by the spring-'which'is usually.

provided in connection with the pivoted j aw 29into its cable gripping positioni:

When a carrier isto be despatched from the drop-station it is inserted into engage- V merit-with trackS.interiorly:of .-1oop.]8, as

: s sa -3 7 showi'l-linFig. 1, itszlugsfly passing through aperture ,5: in track 3 and the carrier then settling down until-its fiber plate'3l is in engagement withthemember 32 of the pusher Y 38.; At; such. time the lugs 41: ofthe carrier will be bel'owuthe aperture '5 in track '3 so that there will bee-no danger of the carrier inadvertentlydropping out of engagement with said track. -The hook orha'ndle32 is I then pressed;down oraitidesired, the carrier-itself may be presseddown bythe fingers of the operator, whichpulls; over arm 16-through the intermediacy of the unwound hoisting cord 13 and itsspool or'drum 14'; I

The arm 16 is ;thereupon -.-locke d in position by the latch 22 soas tohold the pulley 17 firmly in engagement withfthe cableywhich will be bowed slightlybetween the idlers 28.

the carrier 4.;up, to andaround the bend in. track .3 which delivers'to track 1.- .As the 1 carrier passes itheopen switch the hookiorprojection v35 on theqjusher engages spring" 36v anditherebylunlatches arm 16 and al1ows its springQO' to'retract pulley'l'irfrom engagement' with the cable, to swing the Switch 24 50 .asto clear: track l to retract cams 45 and 46 from their operativepositions and toy reengage the grips of-any carriers which mayhavebeen freed by said cams from the.

and 3 1.; .Thejhoisting cord 13 willthen bef I wound up I on its r drum by power... derived I from the cable,- and the pusher 33 will drive 7 cable, through the intermediacy of the bar.

or, rod 39.-, The pusher 33-,has suflicientweight to retu'rnfit :to.the}position in whichit is shown in,-:Fig. 1-, and the apparatus is thereafter again-ready to despatoh a carrier i from the station.

l/Vhile the herein describedconstruction is i in many respects similauto the apparatusdescribed in my pending application, it-.pos-

sesses several advantagesthereover; one be.

greatly improved as an inspection of Fig. ,1' I of the drawings herein will. show, tl 1e1 "e be ing virtually in "evidence at the station;

proper but fthe cl espatching track 3 the drop track S-With, its loop and the smallpusher with its attached hoistingcord, the hanger 11 or other-support with its brackets, by!

means'of which the respective tracks'are 'fmalntamed'gin: their determined relation ship. T-he-station=is hence reduced to a 1 skeletonelike frameand has in practice been .toube positive and reliable in its ac found tion.

,. lnconclusi ii {I {wish to aaja paacula r l T I attention tothe delivery of a carrier being despatched from the station, to-the main or forwarding Etrackthrough "a normally bridged gapain but one of therails of the latter and in a plane which is'substantially that of .saidforwarding track; By reason of this construction not only is the entrance of the carrier upon the forwarding track rendered easy and certain, but the'station is improved in appearance, vthe switch and most of the other movable parts moving in I horizontal planes. and their movements hence being less noticeable than when they 1 are moved vertically, 1 provided the main tracks be not; elevated. r c

Having thus described my invention what Iclaim is: j V e 1 Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding-track adapted to convey carriers fiatwise-p'ast the drop-station, an auxiliary track leading up from the station to saidtrack andadapted to enter said carriers upon said forwarding trackalong a path :the latter part of which is substantially in the plane of said track, through a gaplin one of. the rails of the latter, a switch movable "abouta substantially vertical 1 axis and adapted to guide 7 carriers traversing said forwarding track past saidstation safely by said gap, means including a cable for positivelypropelling a carrier "along said auxiliary track from said station toward said switch, and for thereafter pro: pelling said carrier along said track, and

'means to movesaid switch automatically in at least one direction. I

2. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriers flatwise past the drop-station, an auxiliary track leading up from the station to said track'and adapted to enter said carriers upon said forwarding track along a path the latter part of which is substantially in the plane of said track, through a gap in one of the rails-of the latter, a switch movable about a substantially vertical axis and adapted to guide carriers traversing said forwarding'track past said station safely by said gap, means including,

a cable for-positively propelling a carrier along said auxiliary track from said; station toward said switch and for thereafter propelling said carrier along said track-,'- and means to move said switch substantially horizontally to open communication between said auxiliary and forwarding tracks and to, thereafter return said switch automatically to a position to leave the-forward ing track clear for through carriers passing said station thereover.

3. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriers flatwise past'the drop-station, an auxiliary track leading up from the station to said trackand adapted vtoenter said carriers upon said forwarding track along a path the latter part of which is substantially in the plane of said track, through a gap in one of the rails of the latter, aswitch adapted to guide carriers trav ersing said forwarding track past said station safelyby said gap, means includlng a cable for positively propelling a carrier up and around which a carrier may be pro- I pelled from the station to said forwarding track, a switch at the point of delivery of said carrier to said forwarding track, and means co-actmg with said auxiliary track forwarding track along a path the latter part of which is substantially in the plane of said forwarding trackand which leads into the latterthrough but one of the rails thereof. a V

5. Cable carrier. drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriers fiatwise past the drop-station, a fixed curved auxiliary track and switch, to enter said carrier upon said i upand around which a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, a switch at the point of delivery of said carrier to said forwardingtrack, and

means, co -acting with said auxiliary track '105 and switch,-to enter said carrier upon said forwarding tracklaterally through but one of the rails of said forwarding track;

'6.Cable carrier drop-station apparatus.

comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriers flatwise past the drop-statiomfa fixed curved auxiliary track up and around which a-carrier may be propelled from the station to saidforwarding track, a switch at the point of delivery of said carrier to said forwarding traclgand' means, including a flexible hoisting element,

co-acting with said j auxiliary. track andswitch, to enter said carrier upon saidfor warding track laterally thereof and in the plane of said forwarding track.

7. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriers flatwise past the drop-station, an auxiliary track up which a carrier may be propelledfrom the station to said forwarding track,and-means,c0-acting with saidauxiliary track to enter said car- 80 v i 7 1 12. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus rier upon said forwarding track laterally thereof in a plane which is substantially that of said forwarding track. I

, 8.'Gable carrier drop-station;apparatus comprising -an elevated forwarding track adapted to .convey carriers" fi'atwise past the drop-station, an auxiliary track up which a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, and means, co-acting thereof in a plane which is substantially that of said forwarding track, saidmeans ineluding a power driven flexible element, a

with said auxiliary track to enter said-can: "rier upon saidforwarding-track laterally thereof in a plane which issubstantially thatv of said forwarding track, said means including a power driven flexible element and .a part driven thereby adapted to directly en:

gage said carrier to propel the same along said auxiliary track.

'9. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriersflatwise'past the drop-station, a-n auxiliarytrack u-p1w'hicha-- carrier may b e-propelled from the station to saidforwa-rding track, and means, co-iacting with saidauxiliary track to enter said carrierupon said forwarding track laterally part 'driven thereby adapted to propel'said carrier along said auxiliary track-and means,

-*directly engageable with said flexible element, to drivesaid part.

station, an auxiliary track up which a car rier may be propelled from the" station to i said forwarding track, and means'co-acting' "with said auxiliary track toenter said-car- -'10. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus "comprising an elevated forwarding,track adapted to convey carriers past thedroprier upon'said forwarding track, said means including a pulley mounted for ,rot-ati'on {about asubstantially vertical axis, a power driven cable, means to engage-and disengage said pulley and cable and means driven by said pulley for propelling saidforwarding track, and means coacting with said auxiliary track to enter said carrier upon saidforwarding track, said means including a power driven cable, a pulley mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis and adapted to be driven by said cable and means driven by said pulley for propelling said carrier along said auxa pulley mounted for movement in a'plane iliary track.

comprising an elevated forwarding track" adapted to convey carriers past the drop stationyan auxiliary track .up which-a carrier may be'propelled from the station to "including a vpower driven cable, Epulley:

' with said forwarding track.

said carrier; along iirsivjiiaai said forwarding track, and means co-acting with said auxiliary track' to enter said car rier upon said forwarding track, said means mounted for rotation =1 about a substantially; vertical axis and adapted tobedriven by said-cable, means driven by said pulleyfor V propelling said carrier along said auxiliary track,- and ,switch, to guide said carrier into engagement with 'saidforwarding track,

operatively 'connected jwith said pulley.

13. Ca'ble' carrier drop-station apparatus comprising a iT -"elevatedforwarding track adapted; to convey carriers past the ro station, an auxiliarytrack up? which a carwith saidauxiliary track tojenter' said! car- 1161" upon said-forward track,- sa1d means a 0? f rier may be propelled fre inthe stationi to 7 said forwarding track, and means eo-acting" 7 including a power driven cable, a pulley mounted for rotation abOilb a substantially vertical, axisand adapted toibe driven by said cable,-ineans;driven by said pulley for propelling said carrier alongsaidiauxiliary track, a switch operatively connected to said pulley and meanstoj move said, pulley; into engagement with able and s'aid switch" 1 l into position to guides'a1d carrierv in manj f ner aforesaid-'.f: r 1

14. Cable -car-rierdrop-station apparatus comprising a forwarding track adapted to si'ibstantially parallel to that of saidf r- -warding track, a" switch in said forwarding conveydcarriers V fiatwise thereover past. the dropestation, acable to propel said carriers, a pulley mounted forfmovement m a'plan'e iois.

154Gab1e carrier drop-station apparatus comprising a forwarding track adapted to convey'carriers flatwise thereover pastthe". drop-station, a cableto propel said carriers,

a-pulley mounted for movement inia plane Y substantially parallel to that off said for; warding track, a switch in saidforwarding track c'onnectedtosaidpulley and'movable therewith; mechanism operated by said pulley to propel aflcarrierup from the station,

past: said switch, jandinto engagement with in operative relationship to said convey carriers flatwise -thereover'"past the} drop-station, a cable, to propel said carriers,

substantially parallel to that of 'said forwarding traclga switch-in said forwarding track connected to said pulley and movable therewith, mechanism operatedby said-nuli ley to propel a carrier up from the station ice said forwarding track, and meansto hold said pulley inoperative relationship to said cable only while a carrier is 'bei'ngxles patched from said station. 7 r

17. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to conveycarriers flatwise past the drop-station, an auxiliarytrack up which a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, means, co-actlng with said auxiliary track to enter said carrier upon said forwarding track laterally,

thereof in a plane which is substantially that of said forwarding track, and means for stopping a carrier en route along said forwarding track, past said station, when a carrier is being despatched from said'station. a

18. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriers flatwise past the drop station, an auxiliary track up which a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, means to despatoh a carrier from said station, and means for stopping a carrier en route along said forwarding track past said station, when a carrier is being despatched from said station.

19. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriers fiatwise past the drop-station, an auxiliary track up which a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, means to despatch a carrier from said station, and means for stopping a carrier en route along said forwarding track past said station, when a carrier is being clespatched from said station, and for automatically re-despatching the stopped carrier thereafter.

2.0.Cable carrier dropstation apparatus comprising an elevated forwardingtrack adapted. to convey carriers fiatwise past the drop-station, an auxiliary track up whlch a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, acable to propel carriers along said forwarding track, and means driven by said cable to propel a can rier up said auxiliary track, said means in" cluding a pulley of small diameter which said cable engages when said pulley is opera the the said engagement between said pulley and cable being along a relatively short are and said pulley having its peripheral surface contoured to enable it to eii'ectively grip said cable.

21. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted to convey carriers fiatwise past the drop-station, an auxiliary track up which a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, a cable to propel carriers along said forwarding track, and means driven by said cable to propel 'a carrier up adapted to convey carriers flatwise past the :dropstatlon, an aux1l1ary track up which a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, a cable to propel carriers along said forwarding track, means driven by said cable to propel a carrier up said auxiliary track, said means including a pulley mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said cable, and means to move said pulley into engagement with said cable. 7 V V 23. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising an elevated forwarding track adapted, to convey carriers past the drop-station, an auxiliary track up which a carrier may be propelled from the station to said forwarding track, a cable to propel carriers along said forwarding track, means driven by said cable to propel a carrier up said auxiliary track, said means including a pulley mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said cable, means for moving said pulley into engagement with said cable, and means, directly upon opposite sides of and adjacent to said pulley, to hold said cable properly with respect to said pulley.

'24. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising a station, a forwarding track adapted to convey carriers past said station, a cable to propel carriers along said track, an auxiliary track leading up from said station to said forwarding track, means to despatch a carrier. from said station over said a'cable to propel carriers along said track,

an auxiliarytrack leading up from said station to said forwarding track, means to dispatch a carrier from said station over said auxiliary track, said means including a pulley adapted for engagement with said cable and means to engage said pulley with said cable, and revolnble means, upon opposite sides or and adjacent to said pulley, to hold said cable inv firm engagement, with said pulley.

26. Cable carrier drop-station apparatus comprising anelevated track upon which a 8 s o e mas-mos carriei-may be propelled froni the station and a seeond oarriereiiioute'abng said foi to said forwarding track, means, (w-acting warding'pl tack pasts aid station." 1.9 7 W th said auxiliary track to entersaid car- In testimony whereof I have aifixed my rier upon b said forwaroling track laterally signature, in the presence of two Witnesses. thereof in a plane Which is substantially that 1 FEED TAISEY; of the forwarding track, and means to pre- 7 -Wibrie sses: v

vvent; a collision involying said carriergzwhen v ETHEL- M; JORDAN, being delivered to said forwarding track, MAUD K. PORTERKV cop e o i P t n y e ob n d .fb flw gents e n W es r s ng he 9mmi$ im. e le w 

